A NANTWICH woman plunged 600ft to her death off an Italian mountainside – while her husband looked on in horror.

Pat Fletcher, 64, of Gingerbread Lane, was part of a group of six climbers and walkers who had travelled to the Via Ferrata della Trincee, above Arabba, in the Dolomites for a 10-day holiday.

The tragedy happened on Sunday – the final day of the trip. Police have opened an investigation into her death but she is understood to have slipped in the snow at an altitude of 6,000ft.

Husband George, a retired design and technology teacher at Sir John Talbot’s Technology College in Whitchurch, is believed to be in Italy, making arrangements to have his wife’s body flown home.

Friends and colleagues have talked of their devastation after hearing the news. Anne Barnard, a member of Church Minshull WI, of whom Pat was president, said: “It was such a shock to hear of Pat’s death. Somebody came round to tell me and I had to walk around the garden to try and get my head around it.

“It is totally devastating and I can’t imagine how her family are feeling. The thoughts of the WI are with them all.”

Pat was a girl-guider and amateur artist who designed her own greeting cards. She and George were among the prime movers in St Mary’s Church’s Arts Festival.

The Rev Peter Chantry, of St Mary’s Church, said: “Pat’s death will leave a great hole in so many lives. She was a very, very gentle, kind and generous person. The community held her in high esteem.”

The group were on a break organised by Collett’s Mountain Holidays.

Its managing director, Tom Collett, said: “I spoke to George on Monday and he was very composed and philosophical but still in shock.”